| Title: Picture Perfect Ending
Feedback: Appreciated very much. E-mail Me Archive: Ask first, I'll say yes. Rating: PG for romance. Pairing: Ron/Hermione. Summary: All right...what really happened after the Yule Ball? From Hermione's POV. Notes: This part isn't really shippy...enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot. JK Rowling, Scholastic, and people who are luckier than me own everything else except the song, which is owned by Jewel. Big surprise. |
Picture-Perfect Ending By Alison D/C: I don't own anything except the plot. JK Rowling, Scholastic, Jewel, and people who are luckier than me own them. ~*~*~ Hermione tossed and turned in her bed later on that night, not able to sleep. The evenings events kept playing in her mind. "You're…fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!" I'm not really fraternizing with the enemy, am I? she wondered. It's just a ball, Ron's overreacting. "Then he's hoping you'll help him figure out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during one of those cozy little library sessions…" He just doesn't understand, does he? thought Hermione. Doesn't understand anything about Viktor. Nothing whatsoever. After a couple more minutes of tossing and turning, she gave up and realized she was never going to get to sleep. Sighing, she got up and walked down to a now abandoned common room. She sank down into a plush chair in front of the fireplace. The fire was still going, she noticed. House-elves must have forgotten. Good for them. They shouldn't have to keep picking up after us. She looked at her feet with fuzzy pink slippers on them. Pink. She hated pink. Too girlie. Hermione had never been much of a girlie-girl. Maybe that's why Ron was so confused on what gender she was earlier on in the week. You know, if she just added a bit of makeup, maybe did her hair differently…She could be as pretty as Parvati or Lavender, just like she was tonight. But it wasn't her style. It never had been her style. Just for one night it was OK, but she didn't want it for the long run. She wanted something different for the long run, something she was comfortable with… Without even realizing it, she found herself thinking of Ron again. She hated their fights. This one was particularly bad, not for the severity of it, but for the reason behind it. Parvati and Lavender tried to cheer her up by saying he was just jealous he used her as a "last resort" instead of asking her before Viktor. Hermione had rolled her eyes at this. They didn't know that they could hardly go a day without fighting. They'd be broken up in less than a week. She heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She quickly turned around to see who it was. If it was McGonagall, she would be in deep trouble. It wasn't McGonagall. It was someone much less welcome. "Hey, Hermione," said Ron shyly as he saw her. "Hi," she said, turning her back to him. She wasn't going to give up this fight so easily. She heard him pause, then he walked over and sat down in the chair next to her. They were silent for a second, then started talking at the same time. "I'm sor…" "I was out…" They both stopped and let out a nervous giggle. "You go first," she said. He took a deep breath and started. "I was out of line tonight. I was just really surprised to see you with Viktor." "And not you," said Hermione. His eyes widened. "Look, my neighbor was a psychiatrist. I know all about this stuff. You were feeling overprotective of me. You automatically thought that since we were friends, we would go together if you couldn't find anyone else." "Um, yeah," said Ron. "I guess that's part of it. So, I'm sorry." "That's OK," said Hermione. "My neighbor would say I was kind of shoving it in your face, too." "Shoving what in my face?" "The fact that I got a date I liked and you didn't," she said, smiling. Ron shoved her gently. "Truce?" he asked. "Truce," said Hermione. They shook hands on it. Suddenly Ron looked up. "Where's that music coming from?" he asked. "What music?" Hermione asked. She listened, and heard a faint song playing. It was getting louder, but not too loud. "Hey, I recognize this song," she said as the familiar tune was processed through her mind. "It's a muggle song by Jewel or someone. It's called Have A Little Faith In Me." When the road gets dark and you can no longer see Just let my love throw a spark and have a little faith in me When the tears you cry are all you can believe Just give these loving arms a try, baby And have a little faith in me Ron extended his hand to Hermione. "Would you like to dance?" Hermione smiled. "Sure," she said, taking his hand. He pulled her into his embrace and they rocked back and forth in a slow motion. Have a little faith in me, have a little faith in me Have a little faith in me, have a little faith in me "So," said Ron, trying to keep the conversation going, "who's a better dancer? Me or Viktor?" "You, by far," said Hermione to Ron's surprise. "Viktor would hold me so tight I felt like I was being choked. He was a pretty good fast dancer, though." When your secret heart cannot speak so easily Come here darlin', and from a whisper start Have a little faith in me And when your back's against the wall Just turn around and you will see I will catch you, I will catch your fall Just have a little faith in me "Now, fast dancing I can't do," said Ron. "It's too hard." "Maybe I can set it up so you can get lessons from him," she said, laughing as his face turned into a disgusted look. Have a little faith in me, have a little faith in me Have a little faith in me, have a little faith in me "So, how was Padma?" asked Hermione. "I noticed her nose was dead center." Ron rolled his eyes. "She was a boring numskull. She wouldn't talk to me." "Oh, really?" said Hermione. "That's not how I heard it." I've been loving you For such a long, long time baby Expect nothing in return, Just for you to have a little faith in me You know time, time is our friend For you and me, yeah, there is no end All you gotta do is have a little faith in me "Oh, really?" said Ron, imitating her. "And how did you hear it?" "Well, Parvati says that you were the boring numskull," she said. "That you paid no attention to her sister whatsoever. But that's just a rumor, isn't it?" she added, smiling. "Of course," said Ron, tightening his grip on her a little. Say, I'll hold you up, I'll hold you up Strength is enough, so have a little faith in me Hey baby, all you gotta do is have a little faith in me Oh, I said all you gotta do is have a little faith in me Have a little faith in me The song faded out and ended. Hermione stepped out of his embrace. "Thanks," she said. "For what?" She looked at him. "For the dance," she said. "And for being a good friend, even if you do screw up sometimes." "No one's perfect," he said. "Except for you, of course." Hermione smiled. "I'm think I'm going to go back up to bed. See you tomorrow." "Bye," said Ron. He watched her as she walked upstairs. Hermione lay back in bed and fell asleep instantly. All in all, it wasn't a bad ending to a not-so-good day. FIN |